I have a great giveaway for you today (sponsored by Windows Phone 7), but more on that in just a bit. First I want to share a little project with you.

Supplies

paper (can be new, or can come from magazines/catalogs)

ribbon (grosgrain works nicely)

ruler or drafting triangle (optional — see the second step for clarification)

pencil

scissors

decorative edged scissors (optional)

glue (plain Elmer’s is fine)

sewing machine or needle and thread (optional)

Instructions

Determine how long your garland will be and cut the appropriate length of ribbon (mine is nine feet long). Be sure to leave some extra length to hang down on the ends or to tie into bows.

Cut a triangle out of paper to use as a template. The sides on mine were seven inches long. You don’t have to measure, but a ruler is helpful for making straight lines. I used a drafting triangle, but that is totally unnecessary unless you are persnickety about making true equilateral triangles (*ahem*).

Trace your template onto different papers to make as many triangles as you need. I cut nine triangles from catalogs and nine from pink card stock.

Figure out which triangles are going to be the top layer (the patterned ones in my case), and mark off the top one inch from each. Fold it along the line and snip off the little ends that stick out.

Line up each smaller triangle with a larger one and glue them together along the top to make your flags.

After I made mine, I decided that they would look even better with a decorative edge so I used my pinking shears. You can leave them plain though, or even draw on a border (dots would be cute).

Glue or sew your completed triangles to your ribbon, remembering to leave some length along the ends to hang.

Finished!

And that’s how I made a recycled paper bunting using items from around the house, doing more with less. Speaking of which…

Windows Phone 7 Giveaway

The new Windows Phones are helping people Do More with Less, and I have one to give away to you! You can enter to win by leaving a comment on this post. One entry per person, per day, until November 29. Please see the official rules for more details.

This giveaway is brought to you by the new Windows Phone 7. Less tech tired. More tech trendy: Learn more about Windows Phone online and see it in person at local T-Mobile stores today.

I make more of my time lately, making a little extra money from home. I home school my 6 kids, and in between spelling tests and science experiments, I crochet hats, blankets, etc, build diapers cakes, and sell them online. Why didn’t I think of this years ago??

My poor hubby has been doing more with much less than he should be. He’s using his grandma’s hand-me-down phone. The stone age castoff is such an embarrassment and he’s such a trooper. I hope I can win this phone for him!

My husband will kill me for saying this, but he does more with less by owning only gray socks. Seriously. He bought 30 identical pairs of gray socks. Whenever one gets a hole in it, he still has umpteen zillion other matches for it, so he doesn’t have to chuck the whole pair. And yes, he is that cheap. (Which is why I’d like to win a new phone and not buy one!)

Something that has helped a lot when doing more with less are the social networks! In the past I would had to call each friend when I had a party; now I just post the even on Facebook and everyone knows about it!

One example of me doing more with less is simply turning off and unplugging electronics and appliances. Sometimes people forget and it adds up to the costs. As time goes by, spending a few little seconds on turning appliances off can really make a difference and save more money, more money to spend on stuff I want! I only turn things on when I need to!

One way we do more with less is with leftovers. Especially during Thanksgiving time. An example would be using ham for lunch sandwiches and using the leftover turkey for quesadillas or my favorite turkey and tortilla soup!

How to do more with less? I have in my own house a soda vending machine, when I feel like drinking one, I buy one. At the end of certain period of time, I open the vending machine to recollect my profit!!!

I really like spices and herbs. If you buy them in the ethnic food section, especially the hispanic themed aisle they can be only 99 cents a bag! They add flavor to everything including cheap cuts of meat and inexpensive dishes

We do more with less by finishing all our holiday shopping waaay before the season gets underway. That way, we aren’t caught up in holiday mania or retail marketing when the gifts are being purchased, and we don’t spend as much money.

I do more with less by combining my errands into one drive and trip so I save gas. An example would be going to the store, post office and barbershop in one trip, rather than going at different times of the week. This way, I can do more with the money I have because of the less money I have to spend on gas! I want to win this phone!